This application relates to circuits such as clock and data recovery circuits, clock multiplier circuits and oscillator circuits that can be used in serializer/deserializer circuits.
A serializer/deserializer (SERDES) is an integrated circuit (IC) transceiver that converts parallel data to serial data and vice-versa. A SERDES includes a transmitter section having a parallel-to-serial converter, and a receiver section having a serial-to-parallel converter. SERDES circuits facilitate the transmission of parallel data between two points over serial streams, reducing the number of data paths and thus the number of connecting PINs or wires required for each IC.
SERDES circuits can include phase locking circuits that contain oscillators and that are used for implementing clock multiplier units and clock and data recovery units among other things.